Tens of thousands of pounds in bursaries and bursaries are being offered to students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland to entice them to take up places to study in Scotland this September. As education is a devolved policy area in the UK, each nation’s government is able to set its own fees and student support. Scotland does not charge tuition fees for its own students and therefore their numbers are limited. Students from England and the other UK nations, however, are charged £9,250 a year when studying at Scottish universities, which will also be hoping to gain having seen a dramatic drop in EU student applications since Brexit. According to figures published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas), total applications from 18-year-olds from the UK to study in higher education have surpassed any previous record, increasing competition at the most sought-after universities. The pressure on places has been further exacerbated by the fact that some institutions – particularly those in the Russell research group of universities – are cutting back on recruitment after A-grade inflation during the pandemic forced them to take on extra students. The percentage of applications that resulted in an offer fell from 60.5% in 2021 to 55.1% this summer. University staff in Scotland’s higher education expect to be extremely busy during the clearance process this summer. “It promises to be a clearance campaign like no other,” said one. Heriot-Watt, Strathclyde and Dundee are among those hoping to benefit. Heriot-Watt University, for example, offers a £1,500 bursary for UK students from outside Scotland – known as RUK or Rest of the UK students – to help pay for travel costs. Dundee offers an Academic Excellence Scholarship to RUK students who have AAB or above at A level, worth £3,000 for each year of study, as well as a one-off Discover Dundee Scholarship of £2,000, paid in two installments in the first year. The University of Aberdeen offers ‘merit bursaries’ to RUK students of £5,000 for those with AAA at A level and £3,000 for students with AAB or ABB. Strathclyde offers £1,200 for RUK students who achieve AAB, also a one-off bursary of £1,000 for RUK students paying £9,250 in tuition fees, while Edinburgh Napier University is promoting its £1,000 per year merit bursary for RUK students with BBB or better at A level .Access scholarships are also available for students from lower income households. “The impact of the restrictions means this year’s clearance will be different, with grades starting to return to normal and universities carefully managing their numbers,” said Lucy Everest, global chief operating officer at Heriot-Watt University. “While most universities north of the border will already have paid the cap for students in Scotland, there are places available on these same programs for the rest of the UK. “Financial incentives are available to attract students who want to go further afield and consider studying at Scottish universities, which are already attractive to home-schooled students because they don’t pay fees. “At Heriot-Watt, for example, financial support is available for students based in the UK outside of Scotland to help pay for travel costs – a significant boost particularly in the context of the cost of living crisis. “Scottish universities have an unprecedented opportunity this year, but UK-based students south of the border are the big winners.” A spokesperson for the University of Dundee added: “Dundee is a hugely attractive destination for students, as evidenced by its sector-leading growth in international recruitment. We have a competitive range of scholarships for RUK students and the clearance could prove to be a life-changing opportunity for them.” Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST Sander Kristel, Ucas director of operations, said clearance is expected to be “dynamic” this year with at least 30,000 courses on offer. “Incentives offered to students during clearance can be very useful for many applicants, especially when they offer savings on accommodation and ongoing costs. However, our advice is always to prioritize their course choices over any incentives, because studying is a long-term commitment that can shape future directions.”
